Garage Doors Closed?

CobraKramer · Jan 20, 2007

Hey guys- wondering if anyone out there wonders the same question...is there an easy way once I get to bed to be able to electronically check to make sure my garage doors are all closed. I have had only one theft in the years past and that was b/c I left one of the doors open all night. Now that I have more goodies than ever in my garage I find myself getting up to check at night more often to make sure the doors are closed.

Can anyone tell me if they are neurotic as me and what they do about it. One idea I had was to use one of my older baby monitors and permanently put that in the garage with the handset in my nightstand. Since those things even work in the dark and are fairly inexpensive, i think it should work.

Let me know what you guys think.

Kramer...

toms73novass · Jan 20, 2007

google garage door monitor, lots out there.

Here is one

toms73novass · Jan 20, 2007

this one will do multiple doors

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1015

brownbagg · Jan 20, 2007

I thought about that too, maybe a switch that the door hit to turn on a led inside the house

DIGGER_DAVE · Jan 20, 2007

brownbagg said:
I thought about that too, maybe a switch that the door hit to turn on a led inside the house

That's about what I have.
Each of the two overhead doors and the man door, have micro switches mounted on the top of them that turn GREEN LED lamps ON when closed.
If any of the three doors are open; (even as little as 2 inches) a RED LED lamp will be on.

During warm weather I have a habit of leaving the overhead doors open just a little all day to get extra ventilation.
Three GREENS, means all's well. (closed)

The lamps (all six) are mounted in a small aluminum box on the wall outside the shop that I can see from my fav nightly TV news viewing chair.
(shop is 100 feet away; but the lamps - and the box - are in the line of sight of the chair inside the house - saved having to run a bunch of wiring)

volvo · Jan 20, 2007

A search for " door monitor " will get you this and a few more here on the garage journal. Hope this helps..Good Luck...H

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3124&highlight=door+monitor

Jeeper · Jan 20, 2007

I got one free when i bought my garage door opener from sears. At the time i thought it was stupid, but it's actually very nice to just look up at the monitor and know that the door is closed. $35 if you buy it idenpendently.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...Door+Openers+&+Accessories&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

wilbilt · Jan 20, 2007

DIGGER_DAVE said:
That's about what I have.
Each of the two overhead doors and the man door, have micro switches mounted on the top of them that turn GREEN LED lamps ON when closed.
If any of the three doors are open; (even as little as 2 inches) a RED LED lamp will be on.

I was going to suggest using the existing door switches if automatic openers or an alarm system is in place.

Your remote visual indicators are an excellent idea!

CobraKramer · Jan 20, 2007

Ill take a look at the sites you guys mention....appreciate the resonses.

Kramer

JDHolmes · Jan 20, 2007

CobraKramer said:
Hey guys- wondering if anyone out there wonders the same question...is there an easy way once I get to bed to be able to electronically check to make sure my garage doors are all closed. I have had only one theft in the years past and that was b/c I left one of the doors open all night. Now that I have more goodies than ever in my garage I find myself getting up to check at night more often to make sure the doors are closed.

Can anyone tell me if they are neurotic as me and what they do about it. One idea I had was to use one of my older baby monitors and permanently put that in the garage with the handset in my nightstand. Since those things even work in the dark and are fairly inexpensive, i think it should work.

Let me know what you guys think.

Kramer...

Get cheap limit switches, lever style and hook them up to a small panel with led lights whereever you want.

Rrumbler · Jan 20, 2007

You guys are all so dadgummed "techie"!

I still just "go check 'em", before I go to bed; guess I am just an ol' "Luddite". :bounce:

DIGGER_DAVE · Jan 20, 2007

Rrumbler said:
You guys are all so dadgummed "techie"!

I still just "go check 'em", before I go to bed; guess I am just an ol' "Luddite".

Trouble is/was; yer in bed, then you start to wonder, are they, or aren't they closed?? I think I checked.
(old age does that to you! :headscrat

)

Then you have to put some boots on (snows a lot up here) and "go and check!"
With a -40 deg wind chill blowing while crossing the yard to the shop; I decided there had to be a "better way!!"

PAToyota · Jan 20, 2007

Lucky for me, I can lean out the one side of the bed to look out the window at the garage... I would like to have some sort of warning light setup, though.

snorvet · Jan 21, 2007

I have a camera mounted on my house pointed at my garage with an internet feed that I can look at my garage from anywhere anytime. Maybe a little extreme just for checking if the door is open though.

Garagesecurity · Sep 18, 2007

Pat - I apoligize, I didn't mean to spam. A friend sent me several links to different postings and I responded to them. I won't be doing that again. Open garage doors are a big problem where I'm at, and as a member of the Texas Crime Prevention Association, I know how frustrating the open garage door problem is for the police. The Garage Butler has a hold button to stop the timer so you can leave the garage door open as long as you want, until it starts getting dark. Then the light sensor kicks in and overrides the hold button and automatically closes the garage door so it doesn't stay open all night. If you want the door open at night, turn the Butler off.

Regards,

G

kbs2244 · Sep 18, 2007

For pretty cheap you can get a wireless security TV cam that will broadcast to an unused channel.
You can check your doors with your remote.

Garagesecurity · Sep 18, 2007

That's pretty cool when you're at home. What do you do when you've left the house and forgot or can't remember if you closed the door? I know...call the neighbor!

Kevin54 · Sep 18, 2007

You guys are all so dadgummed "techie"!

I still just "go check 'em", before I go to bed; guess I am just an ol' "Luddite".

Yep...techies. LOL!!! Just wire a small light somewhere on the house side of the garage and get into the "habit" of turning it on everytime you are out in the garage or wire the switch beside the door so you will turn it on everytime you open the door. Once you get in the habit, the habit will be hard to break. I also have a traffic light in my garage that is on all the time. During the day, it is not really noticable, but at night it adds quite a bit of light. That along with a radio that plays 24/7 and a neon clock. It won't keep away thieves but it will help deter them. They are like cockroaches....just a little light and sound and they scatter.

I have a camera mounted on my house pointed at my garage with an internet feed that I can look at my garage from anywhere anytime

Any info on the type, etc. I am interested in something like that for the fact that when we are in one part of the house you can't see other areas. I would like to have one that looks out front when in are in the back part because one of the dogs will start in and you never know whether it is a neighbor or if someone has pulled in the driveway.

Kevin

Garage Doors Closed?

CobraKramer

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toms73novass

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toms73novass

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brownbagg

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DIGGER_DAVE

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volvo

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Jeeper

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wilbilt

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CobraKramer

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JDHolmes

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Rrumbler

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DIGGER_DAVE

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PAToyota

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snorvet

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Garagesecurity

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kbs2244

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